FALLING FOR FIGARO

UK, 2020, 104 minutes, Colour.

Daniel Macdonald, Joanna Lumley, Hugh Skinner, Shazad Latif, Gary Lewis.

Directed by Ben Lewin.

Figaro? It must be a film about opera. And it is. But, it is a pleasant, Saturday matinee for older audiences, lovers of opera but also appealing to those who would say they are not opera lovers. Something for everyone.

This is a story of Millie who has become disillusioned with her job as an adviser in a large company, attending board meetings, financial advice, and living in a flat with her boyfriend. But, she has always wanted to sing – and is prepared to give up the year of her life to train and to see where this would lead. She does have an adviser who suggests she contact a Scottish former Opera singer, Meghan Geoffrey-Bishop, who, apparently, does not suffer fools gladly! With that hyphenated name and discussions about her peremptory and often dismissive manner, it is not surprising to find that she is being played by Joanna Lumley. One might say it is a typical Joanna Lumley performance, haughty for most of the time, glimpses of some humanity, and, eventually, some niceness.

Millie is played by Australian actress Danielle Macdonald who had success in the United States with Patti Cake$ and quite a number of other films and television appearances. Millie is a solidly built young woman, more than capable of an opera stage presence, like so many of the other traditional divas.

So, here she is in Scotland, not the most comfy place to spend a year, boarding in an old pub, getting used to the locals, encountering Meghan Geoffrey-Bishop, seemingly dismissed, but allowed to try out. Of course, there is a great deal of entertainment in the interactions between the aspiring singer and the haughty former star, remembering her glory days.

And there is the complication of her other aspiring singer, who has actually won some local competitions, Max (Hugh Skinner). He has more than a touch of the surly Scott, not really responding to Millie, although he is forever turning up, doing all the jobs at the pub including cooking and serving the meals.

The film was directed by Australian, Ben Lewin (who has a solid 40 years career in writing and direction, the Dunera Boys, The Watch, The Favour and the Very Big Fish, Paperback Hero, The Sessions).

We know that Max eventually has to mellow, let go of this antagonism, but it does take quite a while.

Will Millie succeed? Will she go into the competition? What happens when she runs away, frightened? Will Max win the competition? And what about Millie’s boyfriend, will he understand? And, most importantly, will this year lead to a career?

Well, the only way to find out is to go to enjoy Falling for Figaro!

1. The title, Figaro and Opera, Max as the singer, Millie and her falling for him?
2. A Scottish Australian production, Scottish locations, Australian post-production? The Dir is Australian background, Danielle Macdonald?
3. The background in London, the opera, flats, business offices? The return to London for Singers of Renown competition?
4. The Scottish settings, the isolated town, the hotel, the farmhouses? The mountains and the beauty? The farms and the animals? Chickens?
5. The musical score, the range of Opera excerpts, their frequency, insertion into the plot, as sung by Max, as sung by Millie, as taught by Meghan? The competition? Singers of Renown and the several competitors and their singing? And the finale?
6. A film for opera lovers – and entertainment for those who are not so fond of Opera?
7. Millie, Danielle Macdonald, age, personality, large figure, with Charlie, the relationship, her business skills, the board meeting, her decision to step down, Charlie’s reaction? Her desire to be a singer? The contact, the agent and advice, communicating with Meghan? Driving to Scotland, the hotel, the pub owner, settling in?
8. Millie, her talent, her ambitions, the money, staying for a year? The initial meetings with Meghan, Meghan and her ironic manner, peremptory? The encounters with Max, the initial wariness, all his jobs at the hotel, the singing? The demands made by Meghan? Millie going to sing with the cows? The phone calls from Charlie? The conversations with the hotel owner, the various customers?
9. Max, dour Scotsman, singing lessons, his relationship with Meghan, her being a strict mother figure? All his jobs at the hotel? The initial wariness of Millie? Dislike? Accepting her? At the competition, her wanting to run away, his persuading her to sing? The beginning of the bond between the two, Meghan encouraging them to work together, the emotional effect, in the singing, in real life? The sexual encounter and Millie’s reaction? The decision to be wary of each other, passing each other, not speaking?
10. The character of Meghan, Joanna Lumley’s style, acerbic, peremptory, her past career and souvenirs, working with Max, over the years, her manner of encouraging, demanding? Taking on Millie, seeing something in her? The lessons over the months? Going for the competition? The aftermath, her seeing the relationship between the two? Encouraging them to sing together? Going to London, her presence at the Singers of Renown, her response to the two of them?
11. Charlie’s visit, Max’s reaction, renewing the relationship, Millie and her hesitation?
12. The buildup to the Singers of Renown, the range of singers, the nervous singer and her being sick, Millie encouraging her, then her going out on stage and being forceful? Millie, nervous, her singing, applause? Max, Figaro, his success? Charlie enthusiastic in the audience? The aftermath, the party?
13. The passing of three years, Millie and her singing, Max and his career, his agent, Millie and the interview, their singing together?
14. The tradition of the underdog in competition, work, success? And in the world of Opera?